Hope in a Hopeless World

Mental Health Outreach

The Lilacs Are in Bloom

Hope /

“The lilacs are in bloom!” I said as we pulled into the driveway. My husband rolled to a stop in front of the burst of purple blossoms. He smiled knowingly. From the back seat came a chorus of confusion:“Why did we stop?”“What’s going on?”And then, as realization set in, one of the boys said, “Oh… it’s mom’s flowers.” We paused there for just a few seconds, then continued down the long driveway and into the garage. As I walked from the garage to the house, I noticed how light and hopeful I suddenly felt—especially compared to earlier in the day. Lately, the days and weeks have felt heavy. Hard. Sluggish. This particular week had been full of worries and an overloaded schedule. The daily grind can feel like reliving the same day over and over, without getting anywhere. But the lilacs are in bloom. It’s a reminder that we are moving forward. The days are changing. We are going somewhere. Lilacs, for me, carry the weight of memory. They remind me of the generations that came before, and the ones still to come. We’re all connected. Each of us trudging through similar day-to-day struggles—and somehow, we keep going. Just like my lilac-loving grandma, who weathered her share of life’s storms, so will I. Sometimes, all it takes is to literally stop and smell the roses.Or in my case… the lilacs. Mental Wellness Reflection:It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm of responsibility—days blurring together under the weight of stress, caregiving, deadlines, or simply trying to stay afloat. But moments of pause, like noticing flowers in bloom, can ground us in the present and remind us of something essential: change is happening, even if we can’t always see it. This week, take a moment to look for your own “lilacs”—a sign of movement, of growth, of beauty quietly unfolding. These small pauses can reconnect us to ourselves and to the bigger picture. You’re not stuck. You’re becoming.

Hope in the Darkness

Hope, You are not alone /

Complete darkness. My eyes search for light, any light to guide my path. I know the general direction back, so I turn to the left and step cautiously in the direction of the cabin. Rounding the corner I see the speckle of light. As I get closer the light becomes brighter, and the outline of the cabin is visible. Illuminated under the porch light, I see what I am searching for; Hope. In this case it is a metal sign with those 4 letters spelt out indicating that I am at the right cabin. As I walk into the Hope Cabin, I am welcomed by a sense of safety. The warmth of the fire greets me as I take my spot on the couch across from my friend in the rocking chair. We continue our conversation on the meaning of hope and how it relates to the HHW mission. We reflect on the support we offer and how many times the people we meet are often in a dark or low place. Isolation and loneliness are both a symptom and cause of mental illness. Instead of feeling discouraged during these encounters, we feel hopeful because we know there is a path to healing through connection. We enter the dark and hopeless places to help find and guide others to hope. As we enter a new year, we are purposefully planning opportunities for connection, including our support groups and hope connection events. We are here and we are willing to walk in the darkness. Together we can be the HOPE in a hopeless world.